Lead: The Mega Millions jackpot climbed to an estimated $900 million after Friday’s drawing produced no top-prize winners, making it the eighth-largest in the game’s history. The announcement was posted Nov. 8, 2025, and the next drawing is scheduled for Tuesday night. Friday’s winning numbers were 16, 21, 23, 48, 70 and the gold Mega Ball 5. The advertised jackpot has an estimated cash value of $415.3 million.
Key takeaways
- The jackpot is estimated at $900 million, the eighth-largest Mega Millions prize on record.
- Friday’s drawing produced no jackpot winner; the next drawing is Tuesday night.
- Winning numbers on Friday were 16, 21, 23, 48, 70; Mega Ball 5.
- The last jackpot win occurred June 27, 2025, in Virginia for $348 million.
- The advertised cash option for the current prize is approximately $415.3 million.
- The odds of winning the jackpot remain 1 in 290,472,336; tickets cost $5 per play.
- Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Background
The Mega Millions game has produced several very large jackpots in 2025, including a $348 million Virginia winner on June 27 and multi-hundred-million payouts in Illinois and Ohio earlier in the year. The game operates across most of the United States, which can amplify rollovers as participation and ticket sales grow between wins. Mega Millions draws occur twice weekly; when winnings are not claimed, the prize rolls over and accumulates according to state rules and ticket sales.
Historically, jackpots of this scale are rare but not unprecedented: the largest Mega Millions payout was a $1.6 billion jackpot on Aug. 8, 2023, and a previous long streak of rollovers reached 37 drawings ending with a $1.050 billion prize on Jan. 22, 2021. State lotteries and the multi-state consortium that runs Mega Millions manage annuity versus cash-option calculations, which determine the advertised annuity total and the smaller immediate-cash figure reported after each draw.
Main event
On Friday’s draw no ticket matched all five white balls and the Mega Ball, so the top prize rolled to the next drawing. The publicly posted winning numbers were 16, 21, 23, 48 and 70 with Mega Ball 5, and officials updated the jackpot estimate to $900 million on Nov. 8, 2025. The roll occurred after several earlier large payouts this year, with the most recent jackpot win being the $348 million Virginia prize on June 27.
Ticket sales typically rise as a jackpot increases, and state lottery officials track sales and claim activity closely in the days after a large roll. The advertised jackpot figure reflects the annuity total paid over 30 years; the cash option listed for the current jackpot is roughly $415.3 million before taxes, per Mega Millions disclosures. Players choosing the cash option receive a one-time payment that is smaller than the advertised annuity amount but available immediately.
The next drawing is scheduled for Tuesday night. State lotteries will continue to sell tickets up to the draw deadline; each play costs $5. Because the game spans 45 states plus D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands, ticket volume and the geographic spread of purchasers affect the probability — though not the odds — that a winning ticket will appear in any given drawing.
Analysis & implications
Large rollovers like this have several economic and social implications. They often produce short-term spikes in retail sales for convenience stores and other outlets that sell tickets, and they can briefly increase state lottery revenues that fund designated public programs. That said, because winnings are heavily concentrated among a tiny fraction of tickets, the majority of players do not see material financial benefits and face consistent long odds.
The widening gap between annuity and cash-option values also shapes buyer behavior. With a reported cash option of about $415.3 million, many winners opt for the immediate payment despite its lower nominal value because it offers liquidity and certainty. Tax treatment and state-level withholding vary, and after taxes the amount available to a winner will be substantially less than the headline cash figure.
On a policy level, recurring headline-grabbing jackpots often reignite public and legislative debate about the role of lotteries in state finances. Supporters highlight steady revenue streams for public programs; critics point to regressivity in lottery participation, where lower-income players spend a larger share of household income on tickets. Observers will watch whether the $900 million rollover triggers renewed scrutiny or proposals for changes in how proceeds are allocated.
Comparison & data
| Rank | Date | State | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug. 8, 2023 | Multi-state | $1.6 billion |
| 2 | Jan. 22, 2021 | Michigan | $1.050 billion |
| 3 | Nov. 8, 2025 | Multi-state | $900 million (estimated) |
| 4 | Mar. 25, 2025 | Illinois | $349 million |
| 5 | Jun. 27, 2025 | Virginia | $348 million |
The table shows the current jackpot relative to the largest Mega Millions prizes on record and other significant 2025 wins. While the $900 million estimate places the prize among the largest in the game’s history, it remains well below the $1.6 billion record set in 2023. Comparing the advertised annuity to the cash option highlights the gap players should expect at payout time.
Reactions & quotes
“The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 290,472,336,”
Mega Millions (official odds)
Officials routinely emphasize the long odds as part of public information and responsible-play messaging. That figure is published on the game’s official information pages and used by lotteries to frame consumer expectations.
“Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands,”
Mega Millions (official)
The game’s wide geographic reach amplifies ticket volume for large rollovers, which helps drive headline-grabbing jackpot estimates but does not change the mathematical odds for any individual ticket.
Unconfirmed
- Projected ticket-sale estimates for the upcoming drawing are preliminary and vary by state; exact sales totals will be confirmed after the drawing.
- There are no verified reports of retailers or syndicates that might hold potential multi-ticket combinations for the current jackpot; any such claims are speculative until a winning ticket is validated.
Bottom line
The $900 million estimated jackpot makes this drawing one of the largest in Mega Millions history and will likely boost ticket sales through Tuesday’s draw. While the headline annuity attracts attention, the cash option of about $415.3 million and the 1-in-290,472,336 odds are the practical figures that matter to potential winners.
For readers: treat large jackpots as infrequent statistical events rather than reliable investment opportunities. Watch official lottery channels after Tuesday’s drawing for confirmation of any top-prize winners and for finalized sales and payout details.